SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Saturday February 15th, 3.00pm
Banks's Stadium
WALSALL 3
Josh Gordon 55
Danny Guthrie 77
Rory Holden 90
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2
Callum Morton 21, 39
Attendance: 4,541 (867 Cobblers fans)
Walsall: Liam Roberts, Cameron Pring, Mat Sadler, Dan Scarr, Stuart Sinclair (sub Rory Holden 65), Liam Kinsella, Josh Gordon, Elijah Adebayo, Shay Facey, Zak Jules (sub Wes McDonald 56), Nathan Sheron (sub Danny Guthrie 56)
Subs not used: Jack Rose, Cameron Norman, Caolan Lavery, Jack Nolan
Cobblers: David Cornell, Charlie Goode, Lloyd Jones, Scott Wharton, Nicky Adams, Sam Hoskins, Jordan Turnbull, Ryan Watson, Paul Anderson (sub Michael Harriman 61), Callum Morton (sub Vadaine Oliver 74), Andy Williams (sub Matt Warburton 17)
Subs not used: Steve Arnold, Scott Pollock, Chris Lines, Mark Marshall
Referee: Ben Toner
Booked:
Walsall: none
Cobblers: Jordan Turnbull (68, 9th of the season), Lloyd Jones (76, 2nd)
10 cautions on or before 37 games; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Walsall: none
Cobblers: none
Sendings off: 2 cautions in one game; 1 match suspension but cautions do not count towards above totals. Other sendings off; 1 or 3 match suspension. Extra match ban for additional sendings off.
Callum Morton, Ryan Watson and Paul Anderson came into the Cobblers side as boss Keith Curle made three changes for the trip to Walsall.
With Storm Dennis sweeping across the UK it was a very wet and windy afternoon at the Banks’s Stadium as the game got underway.
Matt Warburton replaced Andy Williams who had picked up a knock in an enforced early change before the Cobblers took the lead midway through the first half, Callum Morton, who had already twice gone close, turning home a Nicky Adams cross.
The on-loan West Brom striker was having a terrific first half and when Paul Anderson delivered a superb ball into the box on 39 minutes Morton timed his run to perfection to make it 2-0 with an emphatic first-time finish.
Walsall had the wind with them in the second half and they pulled a goal back on 55 minutes, Josh Gordon heading in a cross from former Cobblers defender Shay Facey.
Morton was inches away from completing his hat-trick when Scott Wharton played the ball back across goal and he went close again from an Adams cross before being denied by a save from Liam Roberts.
Danny Guthrie curled in a free-kick to make it 2-2 and with the home side pressing David Cornell saved from Elijah Adebayo and Wes McDonald fired over from 10-yards.
Rory Holden then scored in stoppage time to complete the second half turn around.
WALSALL MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (0) 5
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (1) 5
CORNERS: (1) 6
FOULS: (5) 11
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (1) 2
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 8
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (3) 7
CORNERS: (1) 5
FOULS: (8) 16
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1